Mousetrap



A. PRICE ETAL June 6, 1950 MOUSETRAP Filed Feb. 2, 1948 vMoUsEtlSliAfrVV Thisfinvention relatesto improvements'in mouse trap.' Y The principal Vobjects ofthis invention are:

First, Vto provide ra mouse trap which is sanitary in operation in'that the trap may be haired and set without touchingany of the parts which nor-r mailycome in'contact 'with' the mouse.

Second, to provide a mouse'tr-ap in which the bait 'is' inaccessible to vhousehold pets. 1 Third, to provide a, mouse trap of pleasing ap pearancefwhichcan be economically manufacf tured ofperma nent A'materalsuch as stamped metal 'or molded plastic.. Fourth,.to provide. ,a mouse trap'in which the bait isjinaocessible tothe mouse so that the mouse cannot steal ,the'bait Without springing the trap. Fifth, toprovide a mouse trap having the foregoing. advantages which has a positive killing action in trapping a mouse.

' Sixth, toprovide` a mouse trap which has an automaticjself-setting Lcatch so as not to snap or injure thefingersof vpersons setting the trap. j- Other objects 'and advantages .pertaining to de tailsand economies of our trap will be. apparent from a .consideration of the "following description and'laims. The drawings, of which there is One sheet.'` illustrate a 'preferredv form of our trap. Fig. 1 is a verticalcross sectional View through thetrap vand taken along the line I-I in Fig. 3.

i Fig 2 is a p erspective'view of the trap with a "5* 3. Short end walls 4 and 5 are turned upwardlyk from the ends of the base 2 and formed into semi-cylindrical shape within the side walls 3.

The endwalls are provided withintegral ears lY which are 'projected through appropriately aligned slots in the s ide walls and bent over as shownin Fig.V 2 to Aretain the side and end walls of Lthe body member together.

l The front end Wallj4 denes an entrance aperture 'I through which the'mice enter the trap and the rear end wall 5 defines a small aperture Benton Harbor, Mich. Appliann February 2; 1.!148-,1 Serial No. '5,7731- 14 claims. (cms-85') base12'v defines an aperture .I0 .throughV which i' access maybe had to'the 'bait hook Il for bait,-A4

in'g thermo., v- `Thearcuate edges of the side Wallsj3 are prov vided with 'a `reverse bend flange I2 which defines semi-cylindrical.channels YI3 vcornpletely along the. top edges of .the side walls yand outside of the end 'walls' land` 5. l The channels I3 serve as rails or' guides for an arcuategate member I4 lhe gat'e member` I 4 is slightly shorter ythan the priphe'r'yof the side walls and isprovided at its rear end with'an upwardly and forwardly turned roll I5 which forms a cockingor setting piece for the galte.l )Thecenterofthe roll I5 is cut out and'turned downwardly as at I6 to form the catch hook I'I at the bacleof the gate. The rear end offthe'trigg'er rod 9 is provided with a latch hook I8 cooperative `witlrthe catch I1 to retain thefga'te in vitsbackward, cockedV position. Note that when the gate I 4'isv in cocked position the entranceaperture 1 is" uncovered asf is clearly i1- lstrated in Fig. 1l` v "The bait hook IIis formed of folded sheet metaLfshaped to provide a notch I9 at the lower end thereofv for receivingthe laterally turned end of the trigger bar IS. vThe bait hook is also provided with a. forward baille plate nZ'Ildeiining a series fapertures 2I vthrough whichl the mouse canffsee and sm'ell the bait indicated at 22 and Whichare small enough to Vprevent the mouse reaching'the bait. The forward baffle plate 20 is of suchsize as 'to substantially close the space between they side walls 3 and base 2 so that a mouse cannot work his way past-the bale'to getto the bait. L .'Nearjits .,up'perezlg'e the vbaiiie 20 is provided withlaterally'projecting *earsy 23 which are jour..

n alledr in theY holes 24 formed inthesidewalls 3'." The bafileZ eXtendssIightIy above the axis of the ears 23 and defines an aperture 25 for receiving the hooked forward end ofthe spring 26.

""'f The rear endmo'i the springv 2'6A is engaged with the `apertl'ired boss 2l struck inwardly from the gateJ I4 just forwardly of the roll I5.

From' theforegoing description it will be apparent .that with the gatey and trigger bar in the cocked'and IatchedpQSition illustrated in Fig. 1 the spring'ZG will exert a rotative force on the baffle 20 tending to move the baille 2U and trigger bar 9 forwardly. ThisV force is relatively small in as muchas the 'aperture 25 andpoint of engageme'nt between the spring and baiiie is spaced only slightly above the axis of the ears 23. The

force on, the baille l2li is. however, strong enough gthroughwhich the trigger bar 9 extends. 'I he 55 tojl maintain thelatch hooi: Alg in engagammi;4

pivotal connection between said baille plate and side plates.

6. In a trap, a body member having a base with side walls extending upwardly from the side edges thereof, end walls on said base curving upwardly within said side walls, one of said end walls dening :an entrance aperture, a baille plate pivotally supported between said side walls and havingV a hook on the rear face thereof adapted to receive a piece |of bait, said bailie plate blocking the passage of a trapped animal to the rear of said body, a trigger bar extending from said baiiie plate to the rear of said trap and having a latch on the rear end thereof, an arcuate gate member having a sliding tongue and groove engagement with the edges of said side walls, a hook catch on the rear of said gate cooperative with said latch hook, and a spring connected to said gate and extending forwardly within said body and having an en gagement with the top of said baffle plate slightly above the pivotal connection between said baiile plate and side plates.

'1. In a trap, |a body member having .a base twith v side walls extending upwardly from the side edges thereof, an end wall on said base curving upwardly within said side walls, a baille plate pivotally supported between said side walls and having a hook on the rear face thereof adapted to receive a piece of bait, said baffle plate blocking the passage of a trapped animal to the rear of said body, a trigger bar extending from said baiile plate to the rear of said trap and having a latch on the rear end thereof, an arcuate gate member having a sliding engagement with said side walls, a catch on the rear of` said gate cooperative with said latch, |and a spring connected to said gate and extending forwardly within said body and having' an engagement with the top of said baiile plate' slightly above the pivotal connection between said baiie plate and side plates.

8. In a trap, the combination of a chambered body member provided with side walls having curved slide ways therein, the end walls being curved to correspond to the curvature of the said ways, one of the end -Walls having an entrance opening therein,a curved jaw member slidably mounted in said ways and telescopically :associated lwith said end walls, a combined trip and bait holder member pivoted within said body member in spaced relation to said entrance opening, a trigger connected to the swinging end of said trip member and slidably supported in the other wall for detachable engagement with said jaw member, and a spring connected to said trip member and to said jaw member, and acting to urge said trigger to jaw engaging position and to actuate the jaw member across the said entrance opening when the trigger is disengaged.

9. In a trap, the combination of a chambered body member provided with side walls, one of the end walls having an entrance opening therein, a :curved jaw member slidably mounted in said side walls and telescopically associated with said end walls, a combined trip and bait holder member pivoted within said body member in spaced relation to said entrance opening, a trigger connected to the swinging end of said trip member and slidably supported in the other end wall for detachable engagement with said jaw member, and a spring connected to said trip member and to said jaw member, and acting to urge said trigger to jaw engaging position and to actuate the jaw member across the said entrance opening when the trigger is disengaged.

10. In a trap, the combination of a chambered body comprising opposed walls, one of which has an entrance opening therein, an arcuate jaw member slidably mounted on said body member with its ends telescopically associated with said opposed walls, a trigger slidably supported in the wall opposite said wall having the entrance opening, a swingably mounted combined bait and trip holder to which said trigger is connected, and a common spring means for actuating said jaw member and holding said trigger in set position.

11. In a trap, the combination of a chambercd body comprising opposed walls, one of which has an entrance opening therein, an arcuate jaw, member slidably mounted on said body member with its ends telescopically associated with said opposed walls, a trigger slidably supported in the wall opposite said wall having the entrance opening, a swingably mounted combined bait and trip holder to which said trigger is connected, and, means for actuating said jaw member and holding said trigger in set position.

12. In a trap, the combination or" a chambered body member provided with an entrance opening, an arcuate jaw member slidably mounted on said body for longitudinal reciprocatory movement, a slidably mounted trigger for holding said jaw in set position, a swingably mounted combined trip and bait holder to which the trigger is connected, and a spring connected to said trip member and to said jaw member to actuate the jaw member across said entrance opening when the trigger is released, the jaw member when in set position permitting access through said entrance opening to said trip member within the chambered body.

13. In a trap, the combination of a chambered body member provided with an entrance opening, a plate-like jaw member slidably mounted on said body for longitudinal reciprocatory movement and constituting a top for the body, a trigger for holding said jaw member in retracted set position, a trip member to which said trigger is connected, and a spring connected to said .trip member and to said jaw member to actuate the jaw member across said entrance opening when the trigger is released and acting to urge the trigger to jaw engaging position, the jaw member when in set position permitting access through said entrance opening to said trigger within the chambered body.

14. In a trap, the combination of a chambered y body, a jaw member slidably mounted on said REFERENCES CETED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Goostrey Feb. 1, 1949 Number 

